I have now spend 24h hour in this country, everything seems a bit surreal still, and definitely magical. It's raining outside (yep seems like the country of blue sky does have some of that too)
But i have to say my adventure didn't start here, it started at Heathrow airport. I got there of what i thought was too early, but definitely a good thing as I had far too much weight and the person I called the day before to check on the overweight rates made a slight mistake (5£ instead of 20£ per kilo). And there i was running in the airport trying to find the way to send my second bag the cheapest way; people kept sending me to different places, and the time to have a coffee with my mother flew away. After a bit of stress, not too much as by then i hadn't sleep for 48h and i didn't really understand what was going on, I manage to send it through the royal mail, for a descent price.
After a quiet emotional goodbye with my mum, finally the emotional frigidness i had, broke, went through security. But it wasn't over, the flight to Moscow was pretty ok, despite the surreal fact to be surrounded by russians when you haven't sleep. Then Moscow airport, you have to see that! By far the strangest airport i've never been, and so bloody hot (when it actually wasn't outside). Until then I was thinking "hmmm Aeroflot is not that bad after all!" well i understood the reputation then. Got in the plane to Ulaanbaatar which was for sure older than me, overheated, a sauna would've been cooler, and overcrowded. I'm not that tall and my knees touched the seat in front. I had some sleep to catch up, gutted!!!
When we finally reached the Mongolian grounds I have to say I was in a second state. Undraa the person from VSO was there, everyone had their luggage and off we went to the guest house where will be living for the next 5 weeks. I had a very creepy place in mind. All wrong! is a nice little flat on a ex-russian bloc, 2 min away from the VSO office. We met up with the other new volunteers (9 in total yesterday, another one is coming today and 2 more next week) had a brief talk about security in the country, and is not only about pick pockets, but DOGS!!! (and you people know how much i love them NOT!) and man holes (well yes every now and then you bump into a huge hold in the middle of nowhere).
After a very nice lunch and a not achieved nap we went with a long time volunteer to a afternoon "party" for 2 girls who are leaving next week and have been here for a year. An occasion to meet the other volunteers and get a sight of UB (Ulaanbaatar). I would've define myself as a zombie by then, but as most of you know I have trouble missing out things. So off i went! got on the crowed bus to the ger district. And i did well! Although I can't really write down my impressions of this city, country and culture now (far to fresh and not very define), I got submerged in the whole thing and that I like! Passing burning stones from one had to the other, that came from the Mongolian bbq (which by the way is a sort of soup and not a bbq as we know), a practice that is supposed to be good for you and your liver, and that generosity and sense of receiving guests.
Well as for now is 7 am here, and yes I am awake (I know I know it's not normal!!! but hey! went to bed at 9 p.m. last night so!) and we are off later on to visit some place which i already forgot the name but i will tell you all about it some other time.
But i have to say my adventure didn't start here, it started at Heathrow airport. I got there of what i thought was too early, but definitely a good thing as I had far too much weight and the person I called the day before to check on the overweight rates made a slight mistake (5£ instead of 20£ per kilo). And there i was running in the airport trying to find the way to send my second bag the cheapest way; people kept sending me to different places, and the time to have a coffee with my mother flew away. After a bit of stress, not too much as by then i hadn't sleep for 48h and i didn't really understand what was going on, I manage to send it through the royal mail, for a descent price.
After a quiet emotional goodbye with my mum, finally the emotional frigidness i had, broke, went through security. But it wasn't over, the flight to Moscow was pretty ok, despite the surreal fact to be surrounded by russians when you haven't sleep. Then Moscow airport, you have to see that! By far the strangest airport i've never been, and so bloody hot (when it actually wasn't outside). Until then I was thinking "hmmm Aeroflot is not that bad after all!" well i understood the reputation then. Got in the plane to Ulaanbaatar which was for sure older than me, overheated, a sauna would've been cooler, and overcrowded. I'm not that tall and my knees touched the seat in front. I had some sleep to catch up, gutted!!!
When we finally reached the Mongolian grounds I have to say I was in a second state. Undraa the person from VSO was there, everyone had their luggage and off we went to the guest house where will be living for the next 5 weeks. I had a very creepy place in mind. All wrong! is a nice little flat on a ex-russian bloc, 2 min away from the VSO office. We met up with the other new volunteers (9 in total yesterday, another one is coming today and 2 more next week) had a brief talk about security in the country, and is not only about pick pockets, but DOGS!!! (and you people know how much i love them NOT!) and man holes (well yes every now and then you bump into a huge hold in the middle of nowhere).
After a very nice lunch and a not achieved nap we went with a long time volunteer to a afternoon "party" for 2 girls who are leaving next week and have been here for a year. An occasion to meet the other volunteers and get a sight of UB (Ulaanbaatar). I would've define myself as a zombie by then, but as most of you know I have trouble missing out things. So off i went! got on the crowed bus to the ger district. And i did well! Although I can't really write down my impressions of this city, country and culture now (far to fresh and not very define), I got submerged in the whole thing and that I like! Passing burning stones from one had to the other, that came from the Mongolian bbq (which by the way is a sort of soup and not a bbq as we know), a practice that is supposed to be good for you and your liver, and that generosity and sense of receiving guests.
Well as for now is 7 am here, and yes I am awake (I know I know it's not normal!!! but hey! went to bed at 9 p.m. last night so!) and we are off later on to visit some place which i already forgot the name but i will tell you all about it some other time.
1 comment:
i heard stories about aeroflot, so not surprising what you said!
well done on getting there!
sounds like an amazing place, would really love to come and visit some day.
enjoy! andreja
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